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We are weary, give us rest,
  ignorant, make us wise unto salvation,
  helpless, let thy strength be made perfect
    in our weakness,
  poor and needy, bless us with Christ’s
    unsearchable riches,
  perplexed and tempted, let us travel on
    unchecked, undismayed,
      knowing that thou hast said,
‘I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.’
Blessed be thy name!

- from The Valley of Vision, "Fourth Day Evening: God All-Sufficient."

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Now's the time for sitting, spinning,
threads for the finest clothes...
- "Spinning Song from Kashmir"

The choir lyrics from years past echo in my memories.

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But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
    you cover him with favor as with a shield.
- Psalm 5:11-12 (ESV)

In the middle of the busyness, a place to be still.

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you reminded me with your letter about the need to be fully present for both the good and the bad. it's so easy to claim with gratitude the moments we want to savor, but it's harder to want to feel fully the emotions that go along with disappointment or anger.

i struggle with how to feel both - with not stuffing down or negating the emotions that can be seen as negative. there are so many times that i feel like i don't have the luxury to sit with my emotions or feelings. it's hardly convenient.
- from hello there, friend blog 

On this morning, I knew the rare luxury of sneaking out early and sharing moments and sharing life. The struggles still fresh, the unknown still unnerving, yet hope always balm.

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The suspension of judgment is our only hope. I place next to it the benefit of doubt, which I like to call the sacred benefit of doubt. That if we would be kind enough to ourselves and others to stop short of assuming we know or have gotten to the bottom of someone, we could avoid a lot of heartbreak and suffering.
- David Dark in "Attention Collections and Sneaky Religious Stories" by Stephen Lamb in Art House America blog.

111/366

A day that began with remembering what I had forgotten and forgetting what I had remembered. A day punctuated with unexpected giving up. And in the end, His grace always remains sufficient for me.

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The beginnings of In the Beginning...

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a stitch in time.

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A missed opportunity for nap and a house full of folk, the sweetest of blessings, both.

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gratitude-

For consider what great things he has done for you. (1Samuel 12:24)
morning faithfulness
timely phone calls
God's provision
beautiful girls
sweet friends
the message of a single glance
ease around the table
laughing 'til you cry
really good food and really good fellowship
SENTRI
falling in my bed at the end of a very full day

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... and a good time was had by all.
(and where I realized once for all, I am too old to stay up that late.)

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Steadfast love and faithfulness meet together; 

righteousness and peace kiss each other.

Faithfulness springs up from the ground, 

and righteousness looks down from heaven.

Indeed, the LORD will give what is good, 

and our land will yield its increase.

Righteousness goes before him 

and will make his footsteps into our pathway.

Psalm 85

104/366

Remember back when you thought, "when will I ever need to know how to do this math in real life..."?
Turns out that sewing class is more than needle and thread.

103/366

Some days the unplanned moments, the brief stops in the midst of everyday life, remind me of just how precious ordinary grace can be. St. Augustine once described friendship as "sweet beyond the sweetness of life." I am blessed to be able to agree.

102/366

Repair shop for the daily commute- thankful for the handiest of handy men.

101/366

National Sibling Day- who makes these days up? But nonetheless, a reminder to give thanks for my sister with whom I share both DNA and life experience, who is infinitely loyal and immeasurably talented, who forgives the childhood bully and know-it-all who lived the next room over and who loves beyond measure. She is still as wide-eyed and smiley today and I am grateful.

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I believe in a peace that flows deeper than pain
That broken find healing in love
Pain is no measure of his faithfulness
He withholds no good thing from us
No good thing from us, no good thing from us
- "Open My Hands," by Sara Groves 

Everytime I walk in, I see more possibilities for the future and what this place could look like, full and overflowing...

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Who knew the mental health benefits of a last minute detour for coffee and a drive through the car wash?

97/366

My God is reconciled; 
His pardoning voice I hear; 
He owns me for His child; 
I can no longer fear 
With confidence I now draw nigh, 
With confidence I now draw nigh, 
And "Father, Abba, Father," cry.

Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise 
Arise, my soul, arise. 
Arise (arise), arise (arise), arise 
Arise, my soul, arise. 
Shake off your guilty fears and rise

- "Arise My Soul Arise," Charles Wesley, 1742

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The simplest joys- sitting around the table, smiling at the smiles.

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There was a roaring in the sky;
The sea-gulls cried as they blew by;
We tried to talk, but had to shout-
Nobody else was out.

When we got home, we had sand in the hair,
In the eyes and the ears and everywhere;
Whenever a good nor'wester blows,
Christopher is found with
Sand-between-the-toes.

- A.A. Milne, "Sand Between the Toes," in When We Were Very Young

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Perhaps the highest honor from a 6 year old- I get to be R2D2 in Candyland...
(and even so, I lose badly...)

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gratitude-

to the praise of His glory,
early morning text,
friends faithful beyond measure,
voice message with prayer better than I would know how to ask,
beautiful girls and handsome guys,
hand in hand with my groom,
my grands,
Christian moving to the front row,
the grace of our pastor who knows us well,
my sister and her sweet tunes,
my kids all weeping,
that gaze and those smiles,
a prayer of 22 years answered today,
so many beloved faces in the crowd,
the embrace of dear ones,
those who stay 'til the end and put away tables and chairs besides,
the tasks completed and I don't even know who to thank,
a house-full,
a deep breath of thankfulness at the end of the day,
blessings all mine with ten thousand besides.

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final preparations and all the details falling into place.

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oh so grand!

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I want to believe my faith in the gospel of grace is not limited to the “spiritual” things but is exploding onto every single mundane moment in my life. I want the shrapnel of this explosion to embed itself in every enjoyment, and failure, and celebration, and tragedy coming my way.
- Matthew B. Redmond, The God of the Mundane